Cough Follow-up

The best plan for follow-up care for a cough of any nature is to discuss when and where follow-up should occur with a doctor, or the doctor from the emergency department. Acute coughs typically get better on their own and often will not need follow-up. Many chronic coughs will take weeks to months to improve or resolve even when treatments are followed closely. Follow-up should be arranged based on this time schedule. For coughs that do not improve with standard treatments, referral to a specialist may be needed to decide the cause and best treatment.